GB2078328A - Shims - Google Patents

Abstract

Shims primarily intended for use as spacing elements for use in the construction industry are formed in an array, each shim 10, 11, 12 of said array being connected to at least one other shim 10, 11, 12 of the array by a flexible rupturable connection 16, 17 in order that one or more shims from said array may be separated from each other or folded in a manner so that said folded shims overlie each other in a substantially symmetrical manner to present a shim of multiple thickness (Figure 3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved shims The present invention relates to shims which are primarily intended for use in the building industry to provide spacing elements between two members/ structures to be secured to each other.

Difficulties have arisen in the past with known shims since they have been made from a particular thickness of material and are not always an ideal size to provide a packing piece for the space they are required to bridge.

It is an object of the present invention to provide shims that overcome or minimise the abovementioned problems.

According to the present invention we provide an array of shims each shim of said array being connected to at least one other shim of the array by a flexible rupturable connection in a manner such that either the shims of said array can be separated from each other or the array can be folded at said connection so that the connected shims overlie each other.

The nature of the flexible rupturable connection is such that the adjacent shims may be folded over so that they overlie each other without the connection breaking.

Preferably the positioning of said flexible rupturable connections is such that on folding of the array the shims overlie each other in a symmetrical manner, so that they present a configuration substantially the same as a single shim but of multiple thickness.

Each shim may be of U-shape or horseshoe configuration a slot extending from one side towards an opposite side and terminating short of the other side.

The shims may be made from a plastics material and may be made by any suitable process such as injection moulding or alternatively could be formed from a strip of plastics material by punching or otherwise deforming the strip of material which may be in a soft or fully cured state.

The shims of the present invention provide the advantage that it is not necessary to manufacture any different thicknesses of shims since the array can be easily folded over so that the shims can be used in multiples of a standard thickness. This helps in reducing the cost of production thereof.

In use of the shims further advantages are gained in that it is not necessary to search for a shim having the correct thickness but it is merely necessary to use a single shim or fold the array to produce the multiple of the thickness of a single shim that is required.

An array of shims may be broken off from a longer or.larger array, it being merely necessary to break off the required number at a flexible rupturable connec tion the array broken off then being folded over to produce a packing of the required thickness.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of an array of shims of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the array shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates the array in a partially folded state; Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternating array of shims; Figure 5 shows the array of Figure 4 in a partially folded state; Figure 6 shows the array shown in Figures 4 and 5 a more advanced folded state.

Referring first to Figures 1,2 and 3 an array of three shims 10, 11 and 12 is shown each shim is of U-shape having arms 13 and 14 and a base part 15.

The ends of arms 13 and 14 of the shim 10 are connected to the ends of arms 13 and 14 of shim 11 by a reduced thickness portion 16 which provides a flexible rupturable connection between the shim 10 and the shim 11.

Another flexible rupturable connection 17 is provided between the base parts 15 of the shims 11 and 12.

In use of the shims the flexible rupturable connections 16 or 17 may be broken whereby the shims can be used individually or alternatively the array may be folded such that the shims overlie each other in a symmetrical manner.

Referring now specifically to Figure 3 the array of shims is shown in a partially folded state, adjacent shims having been angularly moved relative to the shim to which it is adjoined by the flexible rupturable connection, further angular movement will enable the shims 10, 11, 12 to overlie each other and form a "shim" of treble the thickness of the individual shims.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 6 an alternative array of shims is shown therein.

The array comprises four shims 20, 21,22 and 23 each being of U-shape having arms 24 and 25 and base portion 26.

The shim 20 is joined to the shim 21 by a flexible rupturable connection 27 at the ends of the arms 24 and 25 of the shim and it is also connected to the shim 23 by a flexible rupturable connection 28.

The shim 21 in addition to being joined to the shim 20 is also joined to the shim 22 by a flexible rupturable connection 29.

Each or any of the shims may be separated from the remainder by rupturing the connections 27, 28, 29 or 30 or two or more of the shims may be angularly moved relative to each other such that they overlie each other to form a multiple thickness as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring specifically to Figure 5 the flexible rupturable connections 27 have been broken and the array folded along the connections 28 and 29 so that the shims 20 and 21 are moved to a position relative to the shims 22 and 23 as shown in Figure 5.

Afurther hinging movement about the flexible and rupturable connections 28 and 29 will enable to shims 20 and 21 to completely overlie the shims 22 and 23 and then hinging movement about the flexible rupturable connection 30 will enable all four shims 20,21,22 and 23 to overlie each other the approach to such a position being shown in Figure 6.

It will be seen that when an array of two or more of the shims are folded to form a shim of multiple thickness there remains a connection between the shims forming the multiple thickness. Thus since a connection always exists the shims will remain together in correct overlying relationship thereby making the handling and positioning of same considerably easier than the handling of a plurality of quite separate shims

Claims (10)

1. An array of shims each shim of said array being connected to at least one other shim of the array by a flexible rupturable connection in a manner such that either the shims of said array can be separated from each other or the array can be folded at said connection so that the connected shims overlie each other.

2. An array of shims as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flexible rupturable connection is such that adjacent shims are folded over so that they overlie each other without said connection breaking.

3. An array of shims as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the positioning of said flexible rupturable connections is such that on folding of the array the shims overlie each other in a symmetrical manner to present a configuration substantially the same as a single shim but of multiple thickness.

4. An array of shims as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each shim of said array is of U-shape or horseshoe configuration, a slot extending from one side towards an opposite side and terminating short of said opposite side.

5. An array of shims as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said shims are made from a plastics material.

6. An array of shims as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said arrays is formed by an injection moulding process.

7. An array of shims as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said arrays is formed by punching or otherwise deforming a strip of plastics material.

8. An array of shims as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. An array of shims substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1,2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An array of shims substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 4,5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.